Invictus Venator
by Ten ways to spoil dinner
Summary: Samus has saved the universe once again, but at a cost. Forces are conspiring against her and against the Federation. The Space Pirates have been revived and are becoming a worse threat than ever before, and the Krikens are prepared for all out war. All that Samus knows is that she cannot compromise her morals and she cannot falter, for she is the only hope left.


A/N: As a pre-story note, I have not written very much of this story yet, and I have not planned much of it yet. I do not know when I will next be able to upload a chapter, or when chapters will be finished. I hope that this will change in the future as ideas come to me, but for the moment I am uploading the first chapter as a way of garnering some attention to the story, and hopefully earning readers for the future. Any reviews or comments would be appreciated.

ed(5-24-13): Made some edits. Mostly minor stuff.

* * *

_Metroid: Invictus Venator_

Chapter One: Jury of Your Peers

I opened my eyes slowly. I had been dreaming, yet it seemed so real. I saw my parents smiling warmly at me. They just stood there. I tried to walk towards them; they seemed to be getting farther away as I moved. And then I saw Old Bird. He just sat there, and he looked at me. His face was ambiguous, hidden in some sort of haze. I tried to decipher what he was trying to tell me, but it was impossible. Then I awoke.

I rubbed the dirt from the corners of my eyes then yawned softly. The clock on the wall next to my bed said that it was 7:24, Standard Federation Time. I had only gotten five hours of sleep. I staggered out of bed and moved across my room. I had been back in the Federation Capital for a week, and yet I still couldn't adjust to being back in normal gravity. Being in space for so long, I had grown accustomed to my small ship and its slightly weaker, artificial gravity.

"Samus, you are awake?" Adam's voice, echoing from the walls, snapped me out of my thoughts. As soon as I had landed, he uploaded himself into my apartment's mainframe. It was a good thing he did; I had been so tired and weary when I got back that I didn't accommodate my new guests. I fell right on my bed and didn't wake for ten hours. Adam had to get the Etecoons and the Dachora nice and comfy. Then they were taken away by Federation Researchers. Being the last survivors of Zebes, there was still a lot of interest in them.

"Yeah, Adam," I responded after a few moments, my speech slow and groggy. "Adam, I'm going to take a shower. Could you prepare breakfast for me?"

"Yes, Lady," he answered. I smiled at his usage of 'lady' and then headed into the bathroom. I passed by the mirror over my sink, and after giving it a cursory glance decided that I would try to make myself presentable today. It would be important.

When my shower was over with, I felt rejuvenated. I was much more awake, and my eyes were widened with restored energy. I quickly put on a robe and headed into the apartment's kitchen, where I found food already laid out on the kitchen table. Without a real body, he had to rely on the service bots, but he could still set up a wonderful breakfast with ease. I was so hungry that I forgot any table manners I may have had and just shoved it all down. I wondered if Adam cared; he probably saw it as a complement.

"Samus," he began after I finished eating and put the dishes away. "Are you ready?" I knew what he was asking. Was I ready to face the Federation? The fact I was given this week-long reprieve was nothing short of a miracle. I thought they would want my report immediately so they could dole out the punishment for my insubordination.

I solemnly nodded, assuming that he saw it from the camera of one of the machines. "Yes. I'm ready."

* * *

I walked in long strides through the metal halls of the dome-like Capitol Building. Two hulking Federation officers walked by my sides; my escorts. Were they expecting me to try and escape? Just protocol, I told myself. But my fate seemed so grim. I had not only destroyed GF property, but an entire planet and thousands upon thousands of indigenous life-forms. But Adam had reassured me that some of them would understand why I did it. I just hoped Adam was right.

We stopped in front of a large blue door. One of my escorts placed his palm on the scanner next to it and the door slid open. The room it led to was dimly lit, with the only lights being behind the imposing figures of the Galactic Federation Council. Over twenty people – mostly non-humans – sitting in seats far above the ground and myself.

I walked towards the center of the room. My escorts stayed to guard the door. I'm _sure_ they'll be busy. I'm no danger to anyone here. Couple my lack of sleep and the stress I'll be going through to explain to them what happened, and I honestly doubt I could muster the concentration to use my power suit.

The first council member started talking. Some flowery speech on ethics and how ending so many biological life-forms was wrong. I knew better than to interrupt, though I had to try real hard not to. Then another judge chimed in. This one was more official, asking me questions about the mission. He asked for specific details, so I recounted everything; I was hired by the Federation to guard scientists on a mission to SR388. We found a parasite. The parasite got into my suit. I nearly died, but was saved by a vaccine made from Metroid DNA. Pieces of my suit were removed, and taken aboard the BSL. There was an explosion, and I had to check it out. There, I found the ship overrun by the powerful X-parasite. I even told them of the Sa-X, the _second_ copy of me I ever had to fight.

At the culmination of my report, the council members murmured amongst themselves. I was anxious as to what they would say next. I had told them everything. There were forces in the GF that wanted to use the X-parasite as a weapon. There were also Metroids on board the ship. I had to destroy the ship, and all the X-parasites. To do that, I had to destroy the source; the planet SR388. I had saved the universe. But I didn't know if that would have any effect on their verdict. I might still be guilty to them.

I kept my face composed as the council member who had asked the questions began to talk again. He was glancing over at the other council members. He seemed almost nervous.

"I, the Council Chairman, have looked over the evidence and the facts seem clear. We have decided on your fate, Samus Aran. You did, indeed, destroy a planet filled with life. But it was for the greater good of our civilization. However, you were insubordinate and that must come with a punishment. Even a bounty hunter as esteemed as you is not above the law." I waited for the punishment with sweaty palms. "You will be put on four month suspension."

I was stuck between relief and astonishment. Suspension, while a harsh enough punishment for most misdemeanors, was below anything that I had expected. Perhaps I was setting my standards too high when I expected life in solitary confinement? The disbelief dissipated quickly, and I had to hold back a smile. Smiling would make me seem like I had gotten off for something, and while I certainly could have gotten worse, I was still guilty.

I looked over the council, unsure what to do. Until they dismissed me, I couldn't leave. But they seemed to hold their tongues. Were they waiting for something?

"Samus," a venerable voice said. Near the end of the council, an older member, one of the few humans, sat with his hands clasped and his chin resting on them. His squinting eyes almost seemed to pierce me. And his voice, though seemingly calm, felt like a blade. "The federation has put a lot of trust on your shoulders. You were responsible, after all, for the fall of the Space Pirate Empire, as well as the eradication of the Metroids, and now this X-parasite. Do not think that four months is such a small punishment. It is not by itself your punishment. Your actions have led to many members of the federation distrusting your judgment. Even you know that the Metroids could have, in the right hands, been beneficial for us. You were, after all, the one who brought that Infant Metroid to the Ceres Space Station." I bit my lower lip. To an extent, I knew there was some truth in what he said. But their destructive capabilities far outweighed anything good that could have come from their use.

"You are dismissed," said the high council member. I curtly nodded and turned. One of the two officers opened the doors, and escorted me out of the room. As I left, I momentarily thought I heard a voice behind me. Adam? I quickly turned my head. Of course they would ask Adam questions as well. He was there, and just as insubordinate as, if not more than, me.

I spent no more time in the Capitol building than I had to, making my way to my apartment building. All the while, my thoughts drifted between Adam and my punishment. I still felt like I was getting off lightly. I _knew_ I was getting off lightly. Four months suspension and a lecture on how the Federation lost trust in me? It was bull and they knew it. But it wasn't like I could do anything about it. The federation was choked by bureaucracy, and any questions I asked would be ignored, or worse; raise suspicion. Besides, maybe I was looking at this from the wrong perspective? The federation, no matter how much it distrusted me, needed me. I'm its last resort weapon, and I knew that the Federation still had enemies. Namely, the Kriken Empire. With the space Pirates dead and gone, the Kriken Empire moved in on several worlds once ruled by Space Pirates.

So the four months was just so they could save face. They had to punish me, or else it would seem like I was out of control. If they couldn't rein me in, then the public might lose trust in bounty hunters. But the sentence had to be light, so when I'm needed, they would be able to use me.

It all made sense, now.

* * *

Once I was back at my apartment, I readied a modest lunch. I was still somewhat full from breakfast, but it was well past noon. Either I would eat now or wait for dinner, in case something came up. Something did.

At the noise of the electronic doorbell, I jumped. It wasn't that I was surprised – well, I was, a little – but the bell itself was so high-pitched. My ears rang for a few moments as I went to open the door. Standing outside with a wide grin on his face was Anthony Higgins.

"Hello, Princess," he greeted. I said hello and let him in. I was surprised to see him. The last time I saw Anthony was after my mission to the bottle ship. Though it wasn't that long ago, so much had happened since then that it felt like years.

We both took a seat at the kitchen counter. Anthony didn't beat around the bush – it wasn't his nature – so he just said what was on his mind.

"Samus, what's all this about you being suspended for four months? I've been reading the reports; I'm confused as to why you were tried at all. You saved the galaxy. _Again_. You should be getting hailed as a hero. Maybe get a holiday named after you."

I laughed warmly at his joke, at least to be polite, and then I explained the reasoning I had thought up.

"I guess that makes some sense," he admitted, "but I just don't like it. Seems like the Federation cares more about its own ass than the one who actually saves its ass."

"It's only four months. No need to worry over it too much." Of course, I was the one who was worrying over ulterior motives. "I have enough money to last more than four months. I might just take a long vacation. I think I deserve it, by now."

"I guess so." There was a moment of silence, until Anthony spoke up again. "Hey, Samus, being you're in town and off-duty, you should try hanging around the city for a while. I know, you never cared for it much, but you don't have much else to do around here, do you?"

I considered it for a minute, trying to avert his gaze as I did. He just sat there with his warm smile... it made it hard to say 'no' when he was so friendly. He was always too friendly, but it did him good. It made lasting friendships, like ours. And it made it near impossible to turn down a request.

"Fine, but only for a few hours. There is something important I need to do, later." Talk to Adam, and then make vacation plans.


End file.
